The 2023 Genesis GV60 is the brand’s first and ambitious entry into the luxury electric SUV segment. I say “ambitious” because the GV60 is a bit of an oddball. It exudes a lot of the same styling cues as its stablemates but skews in a different direction when it comes to its interior styling and some of its features. Speaking of its features, there were some that I found very mind-blowing.

The 2023 Genesis GV60 is ahead of its time

“We need to take a minute to set you up with the facial recognition and fingerprint scan,” the delivery driver said.

“The what?” I replied, as I followed him over to the GV60.

That’s right, the 2023 Genesis GV60 has a facial recognition camera on the driver-side door pillar, which allows you to enter the car without a key. Once inside, you can put your finger on a little button so it can read your fingerprint. Once it recognizes it, you can start the car sans a key fob.

Mind blown.

Of course, I should have known that this would be coming soon to cars, so it only makes sense that an off-beat automaker like Genesis would be one of the first to the punch. The interior of the GV60 takes a page from a time travel novel as well.

The ash gray interior, which looks white, gives the cabin an upscale feel. There are also two 12.3-inch displays – one for the driver’s instrumentation and the other for the infotainment system – which ups the ante on the futuristic appeal.

To make the whole experience even more fantastical, the shifter ball flips over to reveal a crystal ball-looking sphere when you turn off the car. It’s completely unnecessary, but the fascinated boy inside me could watch it flip over and over all day.

The most interesting thing to note is that despite all of the fancy knickknacks the GV60 has, I still have to plug in my iPhone to use Apple Carplay. What’s up with that, Genesis?

The GV60 has plenty of power

My test car for the week is a 2023 GV60 performance, which is the higher of the two available trim levels. That means that it has a dual-motor, all-wheel drive setup and makes 429 hp instead of 314 like the lower Advanced trim. That horsepower figure can be temporarily increased to 483 hp with a push of the “Boost” button on the two-spoke steering wheel.

The editors at Car and Driver tested the GV60’s acceleration and achieved a 0-60 mph time of 3.7 seconds with the Boost mode engaged. For reference, that’s about as quick as a Tesla Model Y Performance and nearly as quick as some supercars like the outgoing Acura NSX.

How does the 2023 GV60 drive?

On the road, the Genesis GV60 has excellent driving dynamics. The cabin is whisper quiet, even when on the highway, and its ride comfort is indicative of its luxury badge. However, it’s not exactly a pig when thrust into a sharp corner.

The GV60 is surprisingly athletic, and its steering feel isn’t as vague as you might think. Of course, it’s not a sports car, though. Overall, it’s safe to say that I’m completely blown away by everything the 2023 Genesis GV60 has to offer so far. I’ll drive it around longer, charge it, and report back accordingly. Stay tuned.